Robert Southey

“ Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke." Verses 4, 5, 6. ↑ Line 205. From the trebuchet they discharged many stones at once by a sling. ”

“ The batteting-ram drove fierce: the enginery
Ply'd at the ramparts fast; the catapults
Drove there their dreadful darts; the war-wolfs there
Hurl'd their huge stones; and, by the pavais fenced,
The Knights of France sped there their well-aim'd shafts. 550
"Feel ye not, Comrades, how the ramparts shake
Beneath the ponderous ram's unceasing stroke?"
Cried one, a venturous Englishman. "Our foes,
In woman-like compassion, have dismissed
A powerful escort, weakening thus themselves, 555
And giving us fair hope, in equal field,
Of better fortune. ”

“ Darts not the hawk when from the feather'd tribe
He marks his victim.
On a Frank he fix'd
His gaze, who kneeling by the trebuchet, [5] 205
Charged its long sling with death. Him Glacidas
Secure behind the battlements, beheld,
And strung his bow; then, bending on one knee,
He in the groove the feather'd quarrel [6] plac'd
And levelling with firm eye, the death-wound mark'd. ”

“ Who equall'd on the bridge the rampart's height,
With many a well-aim'd javelin dealing death,
Made thro' the throng his passage: he advanced
In wary valor o'er his slaughtered foes, 395
On the blood-reeking wall. Him drawing near,
Two youths, the boldest of the English host
Prest on to thrust him from that perilous height;
At once they rush'd upon him: he, his axe
Dropping, the dagger drew: one thro' the throat 400
He pierced, and swinging his broad buckler round,
Dash'd down his comrade. ”

“ Palsied with fear, shot wide the ill-aim'd shaft, 180
Threatening the coward who betrayed himself,
He drove him from the ramparts. In his hand
The Chief a cross-bow held; an engine dread [3]
Of such wide-wasting fury, that of yore
The assembled fathers of the Christian church 185
Pronounced that man accurs'd whose impious hand
Should point the murderous weapon. Such decrees
Befits the men of God to promulgate:
Them it befits to wash their hands of blood,
And with a warning voice, tho' haply vain, 190
To cry aloud and spare not! "Woe to them
Whose hands are full of blood! ”

“ The bow-string twang'd—on its swift way the dart
Whizzed fierce, and struck, there where the helmet's clasps
Defend the neck; a weak protection now,
For thro' the tube that the pure air inhales
Pierced the keen shaft; blood down the unwonted way 215
Gush'd to the lungs: prone fell the dying man
Grasping, convuls'd, the earth: a hollow groan
In his throat struggled, and the dews of death
Stood on his livid cheek. The days of youth
He had pass'd peaceful, and had known what joys 220
Domestic love bestows, the father once
Of two fair infants; in the city hem'd
During the hard siege ”

“ The tenor of the chapter is such as almost to prove an ironical intention in whoever selected it. "Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. ”

“ Again he aim'd his arbalist: the string
Struck forceful: swift the erring arrow sped
Guiltless of blood, for lightly o'er the court 440
Bounded the warrior Virgin. Glacidas
Levelled his bow again; the fated shaft
Fled true, and difficultly thro' the mail
Pierced to her neck, and tinged its point with blood.
"She bleeds! she bleeds!" exulting cried the Chief; 445
"The Sorceress bleeds! nor all her hellish arts
Can charm my arrows from their destined course."
Ill-fated Man! ”

“ Showered there their javelins, aim'd their engines there, 300
And from the arbalist the fire-tipt dart
Shot lightening thro' the air. In vain it flam'd,
For well with many a reeking hide secured,
Pass'd on the dreadful pile, and now it reach'd
The wall. Below, with forceful impulse driven, 305
The iron-horned engine swings its stroke,
Then back recoils, whilst they within who guide,
In backward step collecting all their strength,
Anon the massy beam with stronger arm
Drive full and fierce ”

“ Easy to crush the assailants: them amidst 380
Fast fled the arrows; the large brass-wing'd darts, [7]
There driven resistless from the espringal,
Keeping their impulse even in the wound,
Whirl as they pierce the victim. ”

“ His deadly javelins fast, for well within
The tower was stor'd with weapons, to the Chief
Quickly supplied: nor did the mission'd Maid
Rest idle from the combat; she, secure 345
Aim'd the keen quarrel, taught the cross-bow's use
By the willing mind that what it well desires
Gains aptly: nor amid the numerous throng,
Tho' haply erring from their destin'd mark,
Sped her sharp arrows frustrate. ”

“ The pavais, or pavache, was a large shield, or rather a portable mantlet, capable of covering a man from head to foot, and probably of sufficient thickness to resist the missive weapons then in use. These were in sieges carried by servants, whose business it was to cover their masters with them, whilst they, with their bows and arrows, shot at the enemy on the ramparts. ”

“ The Parliament, when Henry V. demanded supply, entreated him to seize all the ecclesiastical revenues, and convert them to the use of the crown. The Clergy were alarmed, and Chichely, Archbishop of Canterbury, endeavoured to divert the blow, by giving occupation to the King, and by persuading him to undertake a war against France.Hume. ”

“ With such loud clamors for the fierce assault 155
The French prepare; nor, guarding now the lists
Durst the disheartened English man to man
Meet the close conflict. From the barbican, [1]
Or from the embattled wall they their yeugh bows
Bent forceful, and their death-fraught enginery 160
Discharged; nor did the Gallic archers cease
With well-directed shafts their loftier foes
To assail: behind the guardian pavais [2] fenced,
They at the battlements their arrows aim'd,
Showering an iron storm, whilst o'er the bayle 165
Pass'd the bold troops with all their mangonels ”

“ War-wolfs, and Beugles, and that murderous sling 170
The Matafunda, whence the ponderous stone
Fled fierce, and made one wound of whom it struck,
Shattering the frame so that no pious hand
Gathering his mangled limbs might him convey
To where his fathers slept.
Nor indolent 175
Did the English troops lie trembling, for the fort
Was ably garrison'd. Glacidas, the Chief,
A gallant man, sped on from place to place
Cheering the brave ”

“ A man is represented kneeling to load one of these in an ivory carving, supposed to be of the age of Edward II. Grose. ↑ Line 209. Quarrels, or carreaux, were so called from their heads, which were square pyramids of iron. ↑ Line 381. The espringal threw large darts called Muchettæ, sometimes winged with brass instead of feathers. These darts were also called Viretons, from their whirling abroad in the air. ↑ Line 478. On entering the outer gate, the next part that presented itself was the outer ballium, or bailey, separated from the inner ballium by a strong embattled wall and towered gate. ”